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October 30, 2018

Magic Genie or Heavenly Father? by the Felicia Murrell

I'm not sure if people realize that coercing others to Jesus by praying prayers that essentially sics the devil on people to lead them back to God only creates bitter Christians who are motivated into a religion by fear of punishment.

God never wanted to be Jesus-the-Magic-Genie who would erase trouble from our existence (ref. John 16:33). And He doesn't need to use sickness, accidents, chaos or any other form of destruction to bring people to Him. If you stop and think about it, what's appealing about a God like that anyway?

You have a very REAL heavenly Father who loves you. His love is enough to woo you. It is His loving-kindness, His goodness that draws men to think differently about Him.

When we rightly represent who God is, we lead people to a God of love who is passionate about people; a God who wants to embrace each person. A God who wants to enter into a relationship with you.

He's no three-wish Genie but He's the One I want with me in the highs and the lows; the thrills and the mundane because I can trust His love for me. How do I know this?

I certainly didn't learn it from orphan-spirited Christianity. I know because He pursued me with His kind intentions and comforted me with His love. Because He first loved me, it compels me into relationship with Him.

Don't be fooled. Love doesn't look like punishment. There is no sickness, accidents, chaos or destruction in love. These things are not an "act of God."

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil has convinced us that people have to be punished in order to do better. It's time to uproot this tree and all of its fallacies from our thinking.

WOW! So clearly and elegantly outlined. I’m in full agreement. I’ve always struggled with the concept of a God who would punish me for not being in relationship with Him. And with people who promote that bad things are happening because you are not “right” with God. Incredibly well said, thanks for saying it!!!